1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plow blade deflectors and more specifically it relates to a plow blade float attachment for preventing damage to a side deflector on a plow blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plow blades have been in use for years upon tractors, road graders, trucks and the like vehicles. A plow blade is typically comprised of an elongated structure having a lower blade edge for engaging material such as snow, ice dirt or gravel. The blade can also typically be raised, lowered, tilted and pivoted to allow for control of the flow of material.
Recently, plow blade improvements have included a side deflector member that is movably attached to one end of the plow blade for allowing the plow blade operator to reduce the size of windrows thrown to the side of the plow blade (e.g. by driveways). U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,465 to Leland E. Jensen teaches an exemplary side deflector member and is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
While side deflector members for plow blades are suitable for reducing the size of thrown windrows, they are sometimes susceptible to damage. For example, if the plow blade encounters an obstacle in the plow path that the side deflector member engages first, the side deflector member will be raised upwardly with respect to the plow blade resulting in possible damage to the side deflector member (and possibly the plow blade). Another situation involves where the plow blade is rotated fore which will result in the forwardly extended side deflector member being forced into the ground surface.
While plow blade deflector devices are suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are susceptible to damage caused by encountering obstacles and movements of the plow blade. In these respects, the plow blade float attachment according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing damage to a side deflector on a plow blade.